Olievenhoutbosch police station climbs to 31st in province with 3-star rating

The Olievenhoutbosch police station has been awarded a three-star recognition for its outstanding performance in reducing crime in the area.

The station moved from 94th position to 31st in the province in just a year, since the station has been under the stewardship of a new commander.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gert Adolf Corbett told Rekord this achievement was made possible by police officers who dedicated their lives to fighting and combating crime in the area.

Corbett said this meant that they were a few steps away from being one of the best in the province and the country.

“We are aiming for a five-star, but it’s seldom that you get a police station with five. Our overall performance for us as the station is satisfactory. That’s what three stars is all about,” he added.

The station’s Community Service Centre (CSC) was, however, chosen as the best in the province with a five-star rating, ranking number six, for the past seven months.

Corbett said the first thing he did when he was deployed at the station a year ago was to build a relationship between the community and the police, adding that the community needed to be reminded that police were there to serve them.

He said it was important for the community to understand that police were not the enemy.

“I have been a policeman for 37 years. The small things I picked up prompted me to bring along Captain Abdul Rahman Damon. Together, we put in place processes, like the normal stop-and-search.”

One of the main issues the community was unhappy about was that police were not adequately dealing with domestic violence cases thoroughly.

“As per domestic violence act, if the perpetrator is known we arrest them immediately.

“Since we brought that in crime has gone down, especially on domestic violence but it is a continuous battle. We brought down crime in a sense that people are arrested.”

Corbett further said these normal policing procedures helped them catch the two of the most wanted criminals with the help of the police in the district.

Resident Jimmy Molantwa said things were getting better in the area as he constantly sees police in the evening when he comes back to work – unlike in the past when he would go for days without seeing a police van.

“I mostly work the night shift. On my way back, I meet with the police doing their rounds and sometimes they conduct roadblocks, which is a good thing because our area is full of hijackers. At least now I feel a bit safer compared to the past three years,” Molantwa said.

Meanwhile, a community leader in the area Hlungwani Khalirendwe told Rekord that Corbett was doing exceptional work under the circumstances.

Khalirendwe said since he arrived in Olievenhoutbosch there have been some changes.

“We see progress, especially in the relationship between the community and the police has improved.

“For the first time in I-don’t-know-how-many-years, we have a working CPF. If that doesn’t tell you how hard-working our station commander then I don’t know,” he said.

DA community safety shadow MEC Crezane Bosch welcomed the police station’s improved rating, adding that the station could do better in the future.

“There is a clear improvement in the station’s morale and discipline since the new commander’s appointment, which has had a positive impact on its operations.

“The station is, however, still severely under-resourced. It is in dire need of additional resources. Without these resources, the police will struggle,” Bosch said.

She added the station needed more space to operate.

“Officers currently need to share limited office space with up to 23 detectives who have to share office space in a small container.

“Although the general attitude and morale have improved, the Department of Community Safety and the police ministry will need to prioritise the station’s upgrading and the allocation of resources,” said Bosch.

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